Stride stretcher

ABSTRACT

A unique apparatus designed to facilitate various types of stretches and exercise routines found in yoga, Pilates, fitness, and rehabilitation. The Stride Stretcher™ has a one-size-fits-most design, allowing comfort in operation. The Stride Stretcher™ is designed to increase range of motion of the ankle joint in all three clinical planes of motion, while affecting the muscular walking system of the hips, legs, and lower back. The design allows for adjustment based on the preference of the user via a Velcro strap. The unit has a firm, non-flexible base that prevents the foot from bending, while allowing complete freedom for the ankle joint. The top portion of the foot casing is a soft, flexible material that can accommodate varying foot size comfortably. The pivoting handles allow for a comfortable grip, keeping the muscles relaxed in the upper body, and prevent unwanted torsional forces in the wrist.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION Stride Stretcher™

I hereby claim the priority of my earlier filed provisional applicationNo. 60/906,045 filed on Mar. 8, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to device-assisted stretching to access the musclegroups found in the low back, upper thigh, lower legs, and feet, for thepurpose of enhancing the gait pattern of the user.

BACKGROUND

The concept for this design came about during my participation in anexercise class that focused on biomechanical function of the lower body.During that class, the instructor was trying to get foot motion using astrap, but without the ability to stabilize the foot, the stretch wasn'teffective. The canvas material of the yoga strap also prevented ease ofmotion about the wrist and elbows, creating excessive tension in theupper body while trying to do a relaxing stretch. This design maximizesthe range of motion of the ankle in all three planes (sagittal, frontal,and transverse), while also allowing the user to keep the shouldersrelaxed and the forearms from gripping excessively.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The Stride Stretcher™ is disclosed that better facilitates passivestretching for functional movements of the hips and legs while walking.The end user of this product has the ability to increase range of motionof the ankle, knee, hips, and low back. The Stride Stretcher™ can beused in the home of an individual, in a physical therapy/rehabilitationclinic, or in a fitness-class format.

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS

The Stride Stretcher™ is a unique foot support for holding the foot inextended fashion with straps to facilitate manipulation of movement ofthe foot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Stride Stretcher™ showing the soleof the unit, front securing strap, front securing hand strap, soletraction pads, sole insert, unit hand strap and the rear ankle strap.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the removable pivoting handles.

FIG. 3 is a top-side view of the small ankle strap and sole insert.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the Stride Stretcher™ without the strapsattached.

FIG. 5 is a top-side view of the Stride Stretcher™ without the strapsattached.

FIG. 6 is a view of the unit strap ring.

DESCRIPTION OF PARTS

#11 Sole of Unit—The sole of the unit is comprised of a three-sixteenthinch thick plastic, molded material. The length is ten inches. The frontwidth is four and five-eighths inch with the rear heal insert beingthree inches. The raised sides are one inch in height tapering to twoinches at the heal insert.

#12 Unit Hand Strap—The unit hand strap is comprised of a soft, pliablewoven material six feet in length, one and one-half inches in width andone-sixteenth inch thickness. The first opening of the hand insert iseighteen inches from the unit to the point of attachment on both sides.The hand insert is five inches long with a two inch spacing betweenloops for a total of four inserts for the use of hands to articulateunit.

#13 Removable Pivoting Handles—There are two interchangeable handles andare made from a hollow-plastic sleeve that is five inches wide with athree-quarter inch diameter. The hook on the handles attaches to thehand openings of the unit hand strap. The strap of the removablepivoting handles feeds through the plastic sleeves that attach to thehousing unit and is one inch thick by fifteen inches in length. Thepivoting handles attach to the unit strap using a metal hook that isthree inches long and is three-sixteenths in diameter. The mouth of thehook has a one inch opening that feeds the hand opening of the unitstraps.

#14 Front Securing Strap—Strap used to secure the foot in the unit andis two inches in width by twelve inches in length.

#15 Front Securing Hold Down—The front securing hold down is a plastic,reticular ring with radius edges that allows the front securing strap tofeed through and return over the foot to secure the foot in the unit andis two and three-eights by three quarter inches.

#16 Rear Ankle Strap—A two inch wide by thirteen inch long bythree-eights inches thick soft, pliable material used to strap the anklein place within the unit.

#17 Small Ankle Strap—A six inch long by one inch wide soft, pliablematerial that seats the heal in the unit.

#18 Sole Insert—The sole insert measures ten inches in length and isone-half inch thick memory foam lining the inside of the hard plasticmolded unit.

#19 Sole Traction Pads—The sole traction pads measure eight andthree-quarters inches in length and are three and one-quarter wide atthe front and two and one-half inches at the rear radius corners forconforming heels.

#20 Unit Strap Ring—The unit strap ring is a metal ring measuring oneand three-eighth inches in diameter and is one-eighth inch in thicknessand is used to feed the strap through for storing purposes.

STRIDE STRETCHER™ PART NUMBER/DESCRIPTION

-   -   #11 Sole of Unit    -   #12 Unit Hand Strap    -   #13 Removable Pivoting Handles    -   #14 Front Securing Strap    -   #15 Front Securing Hand Strap    -   #16 Rear Ankle Straps    -   #17 Small Ankle Strap    -   #18 Sole Insert    -   #19 Sole Traction Pads    -   #20 Unit Strap Ring

1. A stride and leg stretching system for enabling stretching of auser's musculo-skeletal system generally at or below the user's hips,said stride and leg stretching system comprising: a foot-engagingportion for securely engaging a foot, said foot-engaging portion havinga front side, a rear side, a left side, and a right side, saidfoot-engaging portion being detachably attachable to a foot, saidfoot-engaging portion having a sole adapted to prevent a foot frombending while providing freedom of articulation for the ankle joint,said sole having a lower side for engaging the ground and an upper sidefor engaging a foot, said sole of resilient material sufficient tosupport a person's weight and to provide pedal support for said person'sfoot said lower side of said sole having at least one side of a hook andloop fastener pair exposed thereon, said sole adapted to provide easieradjustment for various size feet via said at least one side of a hookand loop fastener pair; said sole being approximately three-sixteenthinch thick, being approximately ten inches long, having a front width ofapproximately four and five-eighths inch, and having a rear heel insertarea of approximately three inches; said sole having said left side andsaid right side raised approximately one inch in height tapering toapproximately two inches in height at approximately said heel insertarea; said foot-engaging portion further having a harness coupled tosaid sole and adapted to detachably engage a foot to hold said sole onsaid foot, said harness further having a rear ankle strap and a frontsecuring strap with said rear ankle strap adapted to secure an ankleupon a heel portion of said sole and said front securing strap adaptedto secure a front part of a foot upon a front of said sole; said rearankle strap approximately two inches wide, approximately thirteen incheslong and approximately three-eights inches thick and constructed ofsoft, pliable material; said front securing strap approximately twoinches wide and approximately twelve inches in length; amanual-engagement strap for manual engagement by a person wearing saidfoot-engaging portion, said manual engagement strap attached on a firstside to said left side of said foot-engaging portion and attached on asecond side to said right side of said foot-engaging portion saidmanual-engagement strap including soft, pliable woven material, saidmanual engagement strap being approximately six feet in length, beingapproximately one and one-half inches in width, and being approximatelyone-sixteenth inch in thickness; said manual engagement strap defining ahand insert; said hand insert having a first opening approximatelyeighteen inches from a point of attachment of said manual engagementstrap with said foot-engaging portion, said hand insert beingapproximately five inches long and having approximately four loopsadapted for engagement by a hand, each of said loops separated byapproximately two inches whereby a user may use a hand to articulatesaid manual engagement strap and said foot-engaging portion; a removablehandle adapted for engaging an opening in said manual-engagement strap,said removable handle enabling better manual engagement of saidmanual-engagement strap and resulting flexible articulation of theperson's foot; said removable handle further having a hook portion forremovably engaging said manual-engagement strap and a handle portioncoupled to said hook portion, said handle portion adapted for manualengagement and controlling tension on said hook portion; whereby aperson may attach said foot-engaging portion to his foot andsubsequently stretch his stride and/or leg associated with his foot bymanipulating and engaging said manual-engagement strap either manuallyor with said removable handle.
 2. A stride and leg stretching system,comprising: a foot-engaging portion for securely engaging a foot, saidfoot-engaging portion having a front side, a rear side, a left side, anda right side, said foot-engaging portion being detachably attachable toa foot; and a manual-engagement strap for manual engagement by a personwearing said foot-engaging portion, said manual engagement strapattached on a first side to said left side of said foot-engaging portionand attached on a second side to said right side of said foot-engagingportion; whereby a person may attach said foot-engaging portion to hisfoot and subsequently stretch his stride and/or leg associated with hisfoot by manipulating and engaging said manual-engagement strap.
 3. Astride and leg stretching system as set forth in claim 2, wherein saidfoot-engaging portion further comprises: a sole adapted to prevent afoot from bending while providing freedom of articulation for the anklejoint, said sole having a lower side for engaging the ground and anupper side for engaging a foot.
 4. A stride and leg stretching system asset forth in claim 3, wherein said sole further comprises: said sole ofresilient material sufficient to support a person's weight and toprovide pedal support for said person's foot.
 5. A stride and legstretching system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said sole furthercomprises: said lower side having at least one side of a hook and loopfastener pair exposed thereon.
 6. A stride and leg stretching system asset forth in claim 5, wherein said sole further comprises: said lowerside adapted to provide easier adjustment for various size feet via saidat least one side of a hook and loop fastener pair.
 7. A stride and legstretching system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said sole furthercomprises: said sole being approximately three-sixteenth inch thick,being approximately ten inches long, having a front width ofapproximately four and five-eighths inch, and having a rear heel insertarea of approximately three inches; and said sole having said left sideand said right side raised approximately one inch in height tapering toapproximately two inches in height at approximately said heel insertarea.
 8. A stride and leg stretching system as set forth in claim 3,wherein said foot-engaging portion further comprises: a harness, saidharness coupled to said sole and adapted to detachably engage a foot tohold said sole on said foot.
 9. A stride and leg stretching system asset forth in claim 8, wherein said harness further comprises: a rearankle strap and a front securing strap; said rear ankle strap adapted tosecure an ankle upon a heel portion of said sole; and said frontsecuring strap adapted to secure a front part of a foot upon a front ofsaid sole.
 10. A stride and leg stretching system as set forth in claim9, wherein said rear ankle strap is approximately two inches wide,approximately thirteen inches long and approximately three-eights inchesthick and is constructed of soft, pliable material.
 11. A stride and legstretching system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said front securingstrap is approximately two inches wide and approximately twelve inchesin length.
 12. A stride and leg stretching system as set forth in claim2, wherein said manual-engagement strap further comprises: saidmanual-engagement strap including soft, pliable woven material, saidmanual engagement strap being approximately six feet in length, beingapproximately one and one-half inches in width, and being approximatelyone-sixteenth inch in thickness.
 13. A stride and leg stretching systemas set forth in claim 12, wherein said manual-engagement strap furthercomprises: said manual engagement strap defining a hand insert.
 14. Astride and leg stretching system as set forth in claim 13, wherein saidmanual-engagement strap further comprises: said hand insert having afirst opening approximately eighteen inches from a point of attachmentof said manual engagement strap with said foot-engaging portion, saidhand insert being approximately five inches long and havingapproximately four loops adapted for engagement by a hand, each of saidloops separated by approximately two inches whereby a user may use ahand to articulate said manual engagement strap and said foot-engagingportion.
 15. A stride and leg stretching system as set forth in claim 2,further comprising: a removable handle adapted for engaging an openingin said manual-engagement strap, said removable handle enabling bettermanual engagement of said manual-engagement strap and resulting flexiblearticulation of the person's foot.
 16. A stride and leg stretchingsystem as set forth in claim 15, wherein said removable handle furthercomprises: a hook portion for removably engaging said manual-engagementstrap; and a handle portion coupled to said hook portion, said handleportion adapted for manual engagement and controlling tension on saidhook portion.